Louver solar panel

ABSTRACT

A louver solar panel comprising spaces parallel corrugated louvers extending between channel-like side members. The louvers have flat sided adjoining corrugations the sides of which are about equal in width and are about normal to one another. The louvers are oriented at angles of about 30° with the lengths of the side members, do not overlap and have a heat absorbing surface on the sides thereof to be exposed to solar radiation.

This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 277,960 filed June 26,1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,960.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The invention relates to solar panels for installation in buildingwindows for the purpose of heating an interior space in the building inthe interest of fuel economy.

2. Background Art

Numerous solar panel-like structures have heretofore been proposed forthe utilization of solar energy to heat interior building space in theinterest of fuel economy but such prior devices are expensive tomanufacture, install and maintain, fragile in construction and/orrelatively inefficient.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The invention provides a novel and improved louver solar heat panelwhich is preferably designed for use in a window of a building and whichhas no moving parts, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy toinstall and maintain and has a very high efficiency.

More specifically the invention provides a louvered solar panel having aplurality of non-overlapping parallel louvers or slats with transversecorrugations to increase the area thereof and preferably having a heatabsorbing finish or coating on the sides exposed to solar radiation. Thelouvers or slats extend between and are preferably removably connectedto channel-like side members with their heat absorbing surfaces facingin one direction.

According to another aspect of the invention, the corrugations of thelouvers have flat sides of about equal width. The adjacent flat sides ofthe corrugations form included angles of 90° and the louvers areinstalled so that they slant downwardly and outwardly from the inside ofthe room at an angle of from 25°-30°, preferably about 30°, from thevertical. The preferred formation of the corrugations and the angle atwhich the louvers are installed maximize the surface area exposed to thesun's rays throughout the day and provide for efficient utilization ofsolar energy for space heating purposes.

The invention resides in certain constructions, combinations andarrangements of parts, and further aspects thereof will be hereinafterreferred to or will be apparent from the following description of thepreferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an interior perspective view of a solar panel of the inventioninstalled in a building window;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective enlarged view of the lower part ofthe solar panel shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view approximately on the line 3--3 ofFIG. 2 with the bottom louver removed;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the louvers of the solarpanel shown in FIG. 1 before assembly with the side members; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the top side of the louver strip shown in FIG.5.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The solar panel A shown in the drawings is of the louver type and inFIG. 1 is shown installed in the left hand half of a double window B ofa building C. Each half of the window B has a fixed sash D with a glasswindow E. The solar panel A in the left hand half of the window B islocated at the inside of the sash D thereof.

The solar panel A comprises a plurality of vertically spaced parallellouvers S extending between vertical channel shaped side members 10, 12connected to the window frame in any suitable manner with the webs 14,16 thereof facing one another. The vertical side edges of the members10, 12 facing the interior of the building have a plurality ofvertically spaced, parallel slots 20, 22 respectively opening thereintoand inclined downwardly at angles a of about 25°-30°, with the lengthsof the side members. The end portions 24, 26 of the louvers S arereceived in the slots 20, 22 of the members 10, 12. The portions 30 ofthe louvers S between the end parts 24, 26, which end parts are rathershort, are corrugated transversely of the lengths of the louvers, andpreferably are slightly wider than the depths of the slots 20, 22 withthe result that about one fourth to one third of each louver extendsbeyond the edges of the end members 10, 12. The open ends of the slots20, 22 permit the louvers S to be inserted after the end members 10, 12have been attached to the window frame. When the louvers S are in place,the spacing between their lower edges and the window is about one-halfthe width of the members 10, 12.

In the embodiment shown, the corrugations 32 in the louvers S arecontinuous and flat sided with the adjacent sides 34, 36 of eachcorrugation being about the same in width and oriented at right anglesto one another. When a solar panel having louvers with theaforementioned type of corrugations are installed in a south window, thesun shines predominantly on the flat sides 36 during the morning and onthe sides 34 in the afternoon. The sides of the louvers S to be exposedto the sun are preferably coated with a heat absorbent material, such asblack paint or the like, or are otherwise treated to increase their heatabsorbing characteristics.

The corrugations 32 increase the area of the louvers S exposed to solarenergy. The illustrated formation of the corrugations together with theangle of inclination to the vertical of from about 25° to 30° provideoptimum exposure to available solar radiation throughout the day intemperate zones under normal conditions when facing south. While anangle of about 30° is preferred for temperate zones, it will beunderstood that the angle might be varied for different latitudes and/ordifferent seasons of the year.

When the solar panel of the invention is installed, the upper surfacesof the louvers S incline downwardly and outwardly from the inside of theroom. As the louvers become heated by absorption of solar energy, coolair is drawn into the solar panel at the bottom of the window and isheated between the louvers S. The heated air flows out into the roomfrom between the louvers S along nearly the entire height of the panel,and there is little vertical air flow in contact with the window. Heatlosses to the window are minimized. In direct sunlight, the louvers Smay reach a temperature of 120° F. or higher with the result that apanel installed in a single window is sufficient to heat a moderate sizeroom. It will thus be seen that the invention provides a very effectiveand efficient means of utilizing solar energy for space heating.

In the illustrated and preferred construction, the width of the louver Sis about 21/4 inch, the width of each flat side 34, 36 of thecorrugations 32 about 1/2 of an inch and the heights of the corrugationsabout 3/4 of an inch. The widths of the side members 10, 12 are about21/2 inches and the heights of their flanges 40, 42 are about 1/2 of aninch. The slots 20, 22 opening into the one vertical sides of themembers 10, 12 are about 21/4 inches apart and are about 13/4 of an inchdeep. While the stated sizes are not critical, solar panels having sizesproportional to those mentioned have proved to be very efficient.

Reference to FIG. 3 will show that in the depicted solar panel thelouvers S do not overlap and that the horizontal projections thereofadjoin or just about adjoin one another. This is not critical, but itprovides a restricted normal view through the panel from within thebuilding, while providing a more limited normal view in the otherdirection.

Referring to the depicted embodiment of the invention, the side members10, 12 are first installed in the window or other opening in which thelower panel is to be employed. Thereafter, the louvers S are inserted inthe slots 20, 22 in the members 10, 12. The louvers can be fixed in themembers 10, 12 if desired, but are preferably readily removable forperiods when use of the panel may not be advantageous. During suchperiods the louvers may be turned upside down to reflect rather thanabsorb solar energy.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the objects of the inventionheretofore mentioned and others have been accomplished and that a solarpanel have been provided which is simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture, easy to install and maintain, has no moving parts toservice and is highly efficient.

While the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, theinvention is not limited to the depicted solar panel as it may beotherwise embodied and it is the intention to hereby cover alladaptations and uses thereof which come within the practice of thoseskilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. A solar heating assembly suitable for mounting interiorly ofa window opening, comprising:(a) at least two vertical support members,each member including an inner edge for orientation towards a source ofsolar energy and an outer edge spaced therefrom, and a web sectionconnecting said inner and outer edges; (b) said members havingvertically spaced, parallel louver receiving slots in said websextending downwardly from said outer edges toward said inner edges, saidslots opening at said outer edges and terminating short of said inneredges, and the slots of one member being is substantially parallelalignment with the slots of the other member; and, (c) a plurality oftransversely extending corrugated louvers removably supportable in saidslots of the vertical members, said louvers being slidably supported insaid slots, said louvers being selectively removable and having theirupper surfaces treated with a heat absorbing material and the lowersurfaces being reflective of solar radiation and being corrugatedtransversely of their lengths to form a series of adjacent flatsections, the included angle between adjacent flat sections beingsubstantially 90°.
 2. The solar heating assembly of claim 1 wherein endsof said louvers are configured so that the louver can be reversed insaid slots so that said reflective surfaces reflect solar energy, whendesired.
 3. The solar heating assembly of claim 1 wherein the weight ofsaid louvers maintains their positions in said slots.
 4. A solar heatingassembly mounted interiorly of a building, comprising:(a) at least twovertical support members fixedly positioned inside a window opening; (b)each member including vertically spaced, louver mounting means, themounting means of one member being in substantially parallel alignmentwith the mounting means of the other member; (c) a plurality ofcorrugated louvers extending between and removably mounted in themounting means of said vertical support members, the weight of saidlouvers maintaining their positions in said mounting means, said louversbeing selectively removable and having upper and lower longitudinaledges, and louvers and said vertical support members being in opencommunication with the interior of said building; (d) said louvershaving their upper surfaces treated with a heat absorbing material andbeing corrugated transversely of their lengths to form a series ofadjacent flat sections, joined at a predetermined angle, saidpredetermined angle being substantially 90°; and, (e) said louvers beinginclined downwardly towards a window in said window opening whensupported by said mounting means to present the maximum surface area tosolar energy transmitted through said window opening, said lowerlongitudinal edges being nearer said window than said upper longitudinaledges so that air in the region between said window and said lowerlongitudinal edges of said louvers travels from said region along a pathdefined between adjacent louvers, rising upwardly along said uppersurfaces to enter the interior of said building.
 5. A solar heatingassembly mounted interiorly of a building, comprising:(a) at least twovertical support members fixedly positioned inside a window opening; (b)said vertical support members each having an inner edge disposedadjacent a window in said window opening, an outer edge spaced away fromsaid window, and a web connecting said inner and outer edges; (c) saidmembers having vertically spaced, parallel louver receiving slots insaid webs extending downwardly from said outer edges toward said inneredges, said slots opening at said outer edges and terminating short ofsaid inner edges, and the slots of one member being in substantiallyparallel alignment with the slots of the other member; (d) a pluralityof louvers extending between and removably inserted in associated slotsof said vertical support members, said louvers being slidably supportedin said slots, the weight of said louvers maintaining their positions insaid slots; and, (e) said louvers having their upper surfaces treatedwith a heat absorbing material and being corrugated transversely oftheir lengths to form a series of adjacent flat sections, joined at apredetermined angle, said predetermined angle being substantially 90°.